Fountain pen



Jan. 25, 1949. O Q CMN 2,459,993.l

A FOUNTAIN PEN Filed Mach V8, 1945 Patented Jan. 25, 1949 NlTED; `STATES PATENT OFFICE Y v2,459,993 'i Y FOUNTAIN-PEN v DarrellC. Crain, Washington, D. C. Application March 8, 1945,*Serial No. 581,602`

This invention relates tovfountain pens.

Fountain pens used heretofore have failed to satisfy all of the requirements, particularly in the quantity of ink contained where it was necessary to do a large amount of writing, it being of course inconvenient to haveto stop to ll the pen.

Another deficiency in prior constructions is that the shape has notbeen completely satisfactory, and the pen has failed to conform to the hand of the user for free and. easy use With the greatest comfort.

It is an object of the invention to solve the problems above enumerated and providea fountain pen which will more nearly fulllall of the requirements, including that Vof increased ink or writing fluid capacity and improved configuration so that the pen will better conform to the hand between the thumb and'forenger, thus being easily held and manipulated inthe process of writing.

Another object of the invention is to provide a, pen of enlarged ink reservoir capacity. which can be easily carried in the pocket without consciousness of its increased size.

Further objects and advantages willbe ap-V Fig. 2, a similar view with the cap removed and the pen ready for Writing;

Fig. 3, a side elevation substantially at right angles to that of Fig. l; and Y Fig. ll, a top plan View.

Referring to the drawings, the fountain pen of the present invention consists of an ink container or reservoir I8 which has one small and one large end, the smaller end being circular and the large end being oval-shape in cross-section. The 4oval-shape portion of the pen is of substantially the same thickness as the diameter of the opposite end, but is wider to accommodate a much larger volume of ink or writing fiuid in liquid form.

At the small end of the ink container is provided a pen holder Il and a writing pen I2 adapted to be housed or enclosed by a cap I3 when the fountain pen is not in use. The holder H is provided with threads i4 adapted to be engaged by corresponding threads on the interior of the open end of the cap l 3.

The enlarged oval end of the barrel l is pr0 vided with a counter-sunk cap retaining ex 's claims. (o1. 12o-42V) s c 2 f ternally threaded boss l5 to which the cap or cover is adapted'to be attached when the pen is being used for writing.

The barrel of the pen may be filled in a well known manner and the pen may be provided with a fastener for securing the pen in the vest pocket, such fastener comprising an annulus il and a clip portion I8. Y

This Wider portion of the barrel gives a relatively at surface area on each side of the same which preferably is flexible so that the pen may be filled by manipulation of these flexible pertions pressing them toward each other to increase the pressure within the barrel and thereby expel air therefrom and upon release the springiness or flexibility of the barrel by its return to normal Will decrease the pressure and draw air or ink into the barrel.

It is to be understood when a barrel is used which' is preferably exible the comparable fiexibilitybetween the conventional rubber sack or ink containing element operated by pump l5 and the casing is such as to permit the pen to be held by normal handling and carrying pressures without causing leakage of the ink. In addition, the comparable exibility between a conventional type rubber sack andv a pen barrel is obviously such as to permit the rubber to give under much less pressure than does the barrel.

The design of the fastener is of suchA character that it will have sufcient flexibility to satisfactorily hold the pen when it is inserted in the vest pocket, while the relatively wide clip portion of the fastener will engage a, sufficiently large area as to firmly engage butV not damage the clothing.

A fountain pen of the above indicated construction is especially desirable and useful where a `large amount of writing is necessary and an average amount of writing uid required, and also particularly on account of thecontour or configuration of the external surface cf the barrel of the pen. This barrel is designed to more nearly conform to or fit between the thumb and forenger of the hand, and substantially fill the space between the same, thus improving the manner in which it is held and by being supported over a much greater surface area, giving stability and at the same time affording free use of the writing instrument and the fingers and'thumb of the hand, as well as supporting them restfully in position on the pen. It will be readily appreciated further that a fountain pen of a larger ink capacity is provided with the absence of the usual clumsinessand unwieldliness of over-sized pens.

Vin the appended-claims.

fortably and rests solidly against the length of` the thumb, and the Vflatrsurface of the enlarged oval end is pressed firmly and solidly.V into the flat base of the VV or VU formed by the thumb and foreiinger Vin conformity with their shape and clamping action during a writing operation.`

Where the forenger is extended'. rather 'than crooked during a writing operation it likewise follows the contour of the pen placed or held in.'

its normal holding position formly clamps the curved `contour .of the Ypenagainst vthe thumb without undue pressure while the Vflat lsurfaceof the oval fits into and against zthe relatively'flat 2. A fountain pen of the characterrdened in claim 1 having its barrel tapered to conform to the space between the thumb and forefnger.

3. A fountain pen as set forth in claim 1 in which the sides of its barrel are'concavely curved from its small to itsenlarged end.

4. A fountain pen having abarrel with an end portion circular in cross-section and the other end portion of enlarged oval shape in crosssection, .said barrel being ofuniform thickness andrtapering inV width from its circular'to its enlarged oval shaped Vend portion, said enlarged ovallgshaped end portion having relatively iiat areasjon opposite sides thereof which areas are flexible ,andV by means of which the pressure on theinteriorfof the barrel'can be increased and claim 4 .in whichtheenlargedf oval -shaped'end is provided withra reap: reoeivingzrecess, andV means by `theareturn ofthe barrel to normal position the pressure on the interior of the barrel vcan be decreased.'A

5. A fountain Vpen of the character defined in in saidy recess :for retaining 'the'capL surfacey formedfatthe'base of the thumb :and

forenger. Y

As heretoforedescribed the enlarged fiatioval portions ofthe pen casingarepreferably somewhat flexible, due to the thinness of .the Walls, and byreason rof this fiexibility may be compressed slightly for "removing an obstruction or for startingxthe'iiow'of writing iiuid to the pen point. As it is obvious fromthe'drawing and description heretoforer setforth, the walls of the pen barrel are relatively thin and when broadened to a iiat'suriaceas in the-'oval end may be Y flexed. Thatpis,Y asv well.' known in the Vpen industry, rounded ror substantially rounded thin ,Y

casings are relatively solid but unlessfreinforced by. such shapeor when in sheet form the material can'be flexed as'willbe.thefcase'herein'where the one end of the pen has been ybroadened Yto a Y flat oval shape. The" flat sidesof the oval requires more pressure to iiex than is applied by the conventionalllling'rarrangement as indicated.

1t will be `obvious to those skilled in theart Y that Various-changesmay be madein the invention without'departingfrom the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is notlimitedv by that which is shown inthe drawingand described inr-thespecication but only as What is claimedis: Y Y Y .Y 1. A fountain pen. includinga .barrel having one end circularand the other end of enlarged flat oval shapeproviding increased Writing iiuid capacity, said oval portion having its side wall structure flexible for 'varying the pressure on the inside of the loarrel,:a cap for said pen and a cap receiving recessin the .enlarged oval end of the barrel, andmeans in;said recess forreceivingan'd* holding'the cap. 1

Vindicated 6. .A fountain: .pen `including a. barrel having one vendtcircular"andthe other lend of enlarged at ovalzshape providing.increasedwriting fluid capacity, a Vcap forsaid pen .andcap receiving structureatzthe enlargedovalendf the barrel,

Vfor receiving: and holding `.thecap.

'7. A fountain 'penjhavinga barrel'with an end portion rounded in cross section and the other end portion of .enlarged flat-ovalshape in crosssection, saidy barrel `tapering fin width from its rounded. toits enlarged :flat oval shaped end 'portion wherebygripping -of the Vpen barrel is facilitated.

8. A fountainpen/.havingf'a hollow barrel with a small end` portion `an'dsan. enlarged ovalY en-:l portion,zsaidfbarrel ta-peringin .width from its small end portion to its enlarged end portion,

`said enlargedoval endportionhaving relatively fiat. areas on opposite sides'thereof whereby one taperedfsideof theibarrelof thevpen rests against the length vofthe thumb and-one-flatsurface of Vthe enlargedl oval fend-restsacross base of the U formed by thei'humb and forenger. Y

' DARRELL C. GRAIN.

REFERENCES CITED 'Y TheV followingreferences are of vrecord in the file Vof this patent: Y

UNITED STATES .PATENTS Y Number Name Y "Date D. 43,242 Bernstein r Nov. 12, 1912 D. 77,800 Vredenkerg Feb. 19, 1929 408,909 Bray Aug. 13, '1889 726,495 -Barnes Apr. 28, 1903 1,459,517

Sa'wyier' June 19, 1923 

